Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images
According to the latest SB Nation Reacts survey, the Chiefs and Niners are on a collision course.
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Super Bowl LIV was the official breakthrough for Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. With their win over the San Francisco 49ers, the team and the star emerged as more than just another talented team to become the presumptive next NFL dynasty.
Since then, the Chiefs have had their opportunity to win a second Super Bowl, returning to the game the following season and losing in the AFC Championship last year. But according to NFL fans, this year they will get back on top. And they will do it in a familiar way.
In the latest SB Nation NFL Reacts survey, the Chiefs were selected by nearly half of the thousands of participating fans as the team they expect to win the AFC title. Kansas City edged out the Buffalo Bills in the vote, with the two teams leaving the rest of the conference far behind.
While the Chiefs enter the playoffs as the top seed in the AFC, the other half of the bracket looks a little less chalky – but only a little. Fans predicted the two-seed 49ers will make a Super Bowl run of their own. San Francisco’s vote nearly doubles that of top-seed Philadelphia Eagles, while no one else even received double-digits.
This would, of course, set up the Super Bowl rematch. But unfortunately for Niners fans, the national audience doesn’t see the outcome changing much. More than a quarter of fans said they think the Chiefs will raise their second Lombardi trophy in four seasons.
Somewhat surprisingly, and disappointingly for the confidence of 49ers fans, San Francisco didn’t even finish with the second highest vote total. That honor went to the Bills, edging out one percent more of the vote. The Baltimore Ravens were considered the least likely to win it all, taking less than even a half of a percent of the vote count.
Of course, in order to win it all, or even reach the Super Bowl, most teams will need to earn a playoff win this weekend. Fans cast their votes for who will win each game this Wild Card Weekend.
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